NEW YORK, June 12, 2024 – While visiting dog programs are common in pediatric settings, there is limited evidence on the safety and efficacy of these programs in oncology settings. A new study published in the Journal of Pediatric Health Care has evaluated the effects of therapy visits in patient care.

Results showed two things: with proper hand washing, therapy dogs do not appear to contaminate the hands of hospitalized children, and that therapy dog visits appear to improve parental anxiety.

“There’s always been concern about infection risk in cancer patients,” said article  lead author Dr. Jessica Chubak.  “In this study, evidence showed proper hygiene precautions could prevent an increase in hand microbial levels. Our findings were reassuring, but there is still a need for larger studies that look at risk of infection with therapy dog visits.”

The authors conducted a randomized, two-arm, parallel-group trial, allocating patients to one-on-one dog visits or usual care. Patients were aged 5-17 years at the inpatient Cancer Care Unit at Seattle Children’s Hospital. The National Institutes of Health funded the study, but did not participate in any other way.

The position statement is published in the May/June edition of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioner’s Journal of Pediatric Health Care and can be accessed here.